Carved Imperial Green Jade Pendant

Fine lavaliere pendant set with jadeite jade and ruby and accented with diamonds in 18k.

The carved jade is a deep green out of light, lighter in undulating parts.

The undulating nature of the already thick jade material filters light in that unbelievable way, brightening to a luminous green following the rise and fall of the carving.

It is a treat to get carved jadeite this luminous, because thickness deters light even where it is preferred in many cases to have thick jade.

Hence it is no surprise this ruyi ‘fragment’ originated from a Qing dynasty bangle, a carving from a carving.

Its in-person aesthetic is in reality a fully carved centrepiece, fragment is used to impart its provenance, not outcome.

The fragment is soulful for how it lights up under daylight.

Away from daylight, light shimmies through the billowing material, liquid-like.

Spanning 37mm by 19mm and thickest at 10mm, the provenance and performance of this fragment is a key part to how it is priced.

The freeform jade is flanked by diamonds first, held by gliding movements in the gold work, perhaps to counter the ‘stony’ fragment.

In this piece, the work of enveloping jade in rubies is more of a classical touch, as opposed to idiosyncratic design, since it is not possible to be subtle with many sizeable and very red rubies.

The use of marquise ‘leaflets’ turns the centrepiece around, we forget it was cut and re-polished.

The wide setting is the East-West preference in style, the single 1.66ct ruby drop turns the pendant into a ‘lavaliere’ style.

Jade in haute couture cannot escape aristocratic gleanings.

This is the other key part to how this pendant is priced, it is resplendent inside out.

There is little to nothing like this out there, both in the integrity of the jade, and in the intention of the jewelry.

This project was the vision of one person, not done in parts, and only after collecting all the rubies over many years.

It is the relation of the spirit and the flesh, this curious mixture of sentiment and splendour.

Really, were it not so strange, the piece would not be perfectly just-so. It is stranger than fiction, but truth does not always make sense, the jewel stirs all who sets eyes upon it.

We hope for the transition to its next owner to be as heartfelt, with all its pathos and beauty.

Rubies weigh 10.51ctw; diamonds weigh 6.64ctw.

All rubies are African rubies, vivid red, unheated.

The pendant measures 50mm across and 73mm long.

The matinee-opera statement long diamond chain necklace is listed separately.

Gubelin Report 24057270.